25 June 2021

BPS Celebrates Milestone of Restored Switch House West

 

Switch House West, the first section of the Grade II* listed building to reach practical completion, is now home to the Power Station’s first residents     

Lead architect for the London landmark’s redevelopment, WilkinsonEyre, has respectfully restored the building’s historical features whilst introducing a contemporary feel 

The interior design and layout for the 98 new apartments has been developed with renowned interior architects, Michaelis Boyd, taking inspiration from the 1930s and 1950s, when the Power Station was originally built 

Battersea Power Station Development Company (BPSDC) today announced the completion of the first section of the Grade II* listed building, Switch House West. Once home to the Power Station’s main switch gear, laboratory, battery and assembly rooms, Switch House West has been respectfully restored into new residential accommodation and is now home to the London landmark’s first residents. Its completion marks the beginning of what will be the most transformational year yet in the regeneration of Battersea Power Station before it opens its doors to the public next year.

Throughout the restoration of the Power Station, lead architect, WilkinsonEyre, have followed the key design philosophy of introducing a smart, contemporary feel to the industrial heritage of the building, whilst maintaining as many of the original features as possible. The restored Switch House West utilises the existing historic structure of the Power Station with three new glazed floors added to the top, which consist of single and dual aspect three-bedroom duplexes with private terraces and sweeping riverside views across London.

Accommodation within the existing walls of Switch House West consists of studio, one or two-bedroom apartments all featuring original brick and steelwork dating back to the 1930s. The residents here will have direct access to two internal private landscaped courtyards, as well as a communal garden on top of Turbine Hall A, which will house part of the Power Station’s retail experience.

WilkinsonEyre was also responsible for the interiors of the communal areas, lobbies and corridors choosing finishes reflective of the building’s industrial history whilst satisfying 21st Century expectations of luxury. These include bronze panelling, concrete shuttering marks, timber floors, mesh metal ceiling tiles and an “industrial” aesthetic for finishes.

Over 100 unique layouts for the apartments were developed by renowned interior architects, Michaelis Boyd, to maximise views through the industrial Crittall floor to ceiling windows on entering the front door and to prioritise open plan living. The interior architects also developed two design palettes for the apartments and duplexes, which have been inspired by the building’s extraordinary history. Designed by architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, Battersea Power Station was built in two stages with Battersea A being completed in 1933 and Battersea B coming into service in 1955. The Heritage 33 palette takes inspiration from the classically elegant styling of the 1930s, drawing on details such as the dark herringbone flooring in Control Room A, which once powered a fifth of London’s electricity, and glazed tiles from the Power Station’s Directors’ staircase. The Heritage 47 palette is fresh and contemporary with an “industrial” aesthetic to demonstrate the pared back style of the 1950s when the second part of Battersea Power Station was built.

Simon Murphy, Chief Executive Officer at Battersea Power Station Development Company (BPSDC), said: 

“The completion of Switch House West is a huge achievement and one of many key milestones in what will be the most transformational year yet in the regeneration of Battersea Power Station. 

“From the very beginning, our shareholders, have been committed to respectfully bringing this historic landmark back to life and to creating a thriving community where people can live, work and play. To see this vision become a reality is extremely exciting and we look forward to opening the Power Station’s doors to the public next year.”

Sebastien Ricard, Project Director, WilkinsonEyre, said:

“This is a key milestone for us in the long project to restore this beautiful building. This celebrated industrial architecture, its epic scale complemented by refined contemporary details, now accommodates dwellings all slightly different in proportion, views, and configuration of indoor and outdoor space, including spectacular private terraces. The offer is unique both in terms of the Battersea Power Station development and the wider London market.”

Alex Michaelis, Partner and Co-founder of Michaelis Boyd, said:

“The loft-style apartments in Switch House West prioritise open plan living in natural daylight. Our design for the two distinct interior palettes, Heritage 33 and 47, was inspired by the style and textures of the original 20th century building. The luxurious residences have a refined industrial quality to them – we wanted to create timeless interiors that would reference the Power Station’s rich history but also stand the test of time, for the ultimate experience of modern city living.” 

Once completed, Battersea Power Station will form the centrepiece of a new ‘15-minute’ live, work and play neighbourhood, which will act as a town centre for the immediate and wider local communities, a new business quarter for the capital and an experiential destination for Londoners and international visitors. Inside the iconic Power Station there will be 253 residential apartments, over 100 shops, restaurants and cafes, as well as unique event spaces. Apple will also take 500,000 sq. ft of office space across six floors in the Power Station for its new London campus.

Strong progress is also being made on Electric Boulevard, Phase 3 of the Battersea Power Station development. Two of the world’s most renowned architectural practices, Gehry Partners and Foster + Partners, have designed this new high street, which will feature shops, restaurants, a community hub, medical centre, a new park and 164 room hotel overlooking the Power Station itself. Electric Boulevard will also link the development to a new Zone 1 Northern Line London Underground station set to open this autumn.

Circus West Village, the first chapter in the regeneration of Battersea Power Station, is already home to more than 1,500 residents and over 20 bars, restaurants, cafés and fitness and leisure offerings including The Turbine Theatre, Be Military Fit, Gordon Ramsay’s Street Pizza, Black Sheep Coffee and Archlight Cinema. The thriving riverside neighbourhood usually welcomes over three million people on average each year thanks to its annual events programme.

Follow @BatterseaPwrStn to keep up with the latest news and events at Battersea Power Station and visit www.batterseapowerstation.co.uk to find out more.